Mining machine



Nov. 18, 1930. L. A. MAxsoN 1,731,906

MINING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 31, 1925 CIS Patented Nov. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUIS A. MAXSON, OF CLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO SULLIVAN MA- CHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS MINING MACHINE Application led August 31, 1925, Serial No. 53,555. Renewed June 3, 1929.

My invention relates to mining machines, and more particularly to mining machines of the type generally known as room and plllar mining machines.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide improved means for feeding and guiding a mining machine during cutting and at other times. More specifically stated, the object is to provide improved feed operating and controlling means includlng power transmission means and but a single braking device whereby a plurality of feed operating members may be driven and controlled to accomplish the various desired feeding operations. Other objects and advantages of the invention will subsequently appear.

In a preferred form the invention may include cutting mechanism, a motor, preferi ably operative to drive the cutting mechanism of the machine, feed driving mechanism actuated by the motor, braking means, a plurality of feed operating members each cooperating with iexible feeding means, and

7 means for controlling the driving and braking mechanisms and the connection of the feed operating means thereto. The feed operating members may take the forms of chain sprockets or of drums and the flexible feeding means may be either one continuous or separate chains or separate cables or wire ropes. The feed driving and braking devices may assume many different forms and arrangements, but a preferred construction consists in coaxial brake means and power transmitting plural speed reduction mechanism respectively placed in cooperative relation with the feed operating members through separate force transmitting devices. The braking mechanism preferably is of a type in which the braking resistance is afforded by a stationary part of the machine, but might be of a type in which the resistance is opposed by the driving mechanism. The

' Voperative connection of the braking mechalnism with the feed operating members is preferably through separate force transmitting means from those which transmit the feed driving power. When it is desired to rewind or reverse the flexible feeding members,

the feed operating members are wholly disconnectible from the driving and braking means and means may'be provided, if desired, for disengaging them from their associated force transmitting devices as well as by providing them with shifting pivotal supports.

In the accompanying drawings, in which I have disclosed for purposes of illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice,

Fig. 1 is a plan view with parts broken away of a mining machine constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, parts being omitted.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3 3 of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail View on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, showing the connections to a feed operating member.

In its lllustrative form the invent-ion is embodied in a miningi` machine having' a frame 1 from which there extendsl forwardly a cutter bar Q. provided with a cutter chain 3 which carries cutter bits 4. Mounted upon the frame is a motor 5 which constitutes actuating means fortlie cutter chain and also for the feed operating mechanism later described. The armature shaft 6 of the motor carries at its rear end a spur pinion 7 which meshes with and drives a spur gear 8. The latter is keyed as at 9 to a longitudinall)v extending shaft 10. A bevel driving pinion 11 is connected to the, shaft 10 as indicated at 12 and meshes with a large bevel driving gear 13 which is rotatable upon a vertical axis coaxial with a cutter chain driving sprocket 14 to which it is connectible under "'3 CLL pinion 23. J ournaled upon a bushing 24 upon the exterior of the sleeve 22 is a housing 25 which carries Within the same adjacent one side thereof an internal gear 26 which is keyed at 27 to the housing to prevent the gear rotating relative to the latter. lVithin the housing there is also mounted coaxially with the gear 26 a second internal gear 28 which is mounted upon a member 29 having clutch teeth 30 adjacent its central portion. Gears 26 and 28 preferably have different numbers of teeth. A cage 31 is rotatably mounted Within the housing 25 and carries sets of coaxial planetary gears 33 and 34 mounted for rotation at equal angular rates upon shafts 35. Gears 33 and 34 also have, preferably, different numbers of teeth. The planet gears 33 mesh With the internal gea-r 26 and the driving pinion 23, while the planet gears 34 mesh with the internal gear 28. The cage 31 has an inwardly directed portion 36 having clutch teeth thereon opposed to the clutch teeth 30. The sleeve 22 is rotatable upon a bushing 37 mounted upon the exterior of a shaft 38. A sleeve 39 is splined to a reduced portion of the shaft 38 as indicated at 40 and carries clutch teeth 42 selectively engageable With the clutch teeth 36 and 30. Suitable clutch shifting mechanism including the member 43 and actuating means for the latter is provided to shift the sleevev 39 together with the clutch teeth carried thereby in opposite directions along the shaft 38. On movement of the sleeve 39 to the left, effecting engagement between the teeth 36 and 42, a relatively fast feed drive is obtained, While movement of the clutch teeth 42 tothe right into intermeshing relation with the teeth 30 transmits a slow speed drive to the shaft 40. At its right hand end and looking toward the front of the machine, the shaft 38 is surrounded by and has suitably fixed thereto a bushing 44 which is rotatable in the bore 45 of a driving pinion 52. The driving pinion is journaled at 47 in a bearing upon the machine frame 1 and is adapted to be connected by clutch mechanism 48 having teeth 49 formed on the bushing 44 and adapted to cooperate with teeth 50 upon the sleeve 46 in driven relation to the shaft 38. The sleeve 46 carries the driving pinion 52 thereon. Referring now to the left hand side of the machine looking forward, it will be observed that a shaft 53 is arranged in telescopic relation with the shaft 38 and carries at its left hand extremity a driving pinion 54 while its right hand extremity carries a clutch member 55 with which clutch teeth 56 formed at the left hand end of the shaft member 38 may engage. A shifter 57 cooperating with the member 48 shifts the shaft 38 alternatively in opposite directions to effect engagement between the clutch teeth 49 and 50, or between clutch members 55 and 56.

Sha-ft 53 is surrounded by a bushing 60 which is supported in a bearing 61 formed upon the frame 1 at the left hand side of the machine and the shaft is also journaled in the ball bearing 62 at al point adjacent the clutch member 55. The bearing member 61 has permanent clutch teeth 63 formed thereon and corresponding clutch teeth 64 upon a sleeve member 65 mesh with the clutch teeth 63 and prevent rotation of the sleeve 65 while transmitting rotative forces imparted to that sleeve to the frame. The sleeve 65 is provided with a cylindrical portion 66 to which there are splined or other- Wise held in nonrotative relation a series of friction clutch disks 67. Surrounding the sleeve 65 and shaft 63 is a housing 68 having keyed thereto at 69 a plurality of friction clutch disks 70 arranged in alternation with the clutch disks 67. A clutch loading plate 72 having fingers 73 projecting through openings 74 in the side of the casing 68 may be caused to load the clutch by pressing the disks 67 and 70 into tight frictional engagement with each other. For the purpose of moving the disks 70 any suitable means may be employed, but I have shown a clutch operating yoke 75 pivoted at 76 upon the machine frame and actuated by suitable hand Wheel and screW mechanism 7 7 The periphery of the housing 68 carries a spur gear with which a pinion 81 mounted upon a transversely extending shaft 82 meshes. The shaft 82 is journaled in sleeves 83 and 84 which are in turn journaled upon the shaft and in bearings 83a and 84 at the opposite sides of the machine frame. The sleeves 83 and 84 are selectively connectible through dental clutches 85 and 86 to the pinion 81 and common actuating means for these clutches including link connected clutch Shifters 87 and 88 and a common controlling handle 89 is provided. Force transmitting pinions 91 and 92 are arranged at t-he remote ends of the sleeves 83 and 84 rotatable relative to the shaft 82 and these pinions are secured to the sleeves for rotation therewith. Drums 93 and 94 are arranged at the opposite sides of the machine frame and provided with suitable journals, not shown in full, these drums being provided With interna-l gears 95 and 96 with Which the pinions 91 and 52, and 92 and 54 respectively mesh. Flexible feeding menibers illustrated by the fragments of cables 97 and 98 respectively cooperate with the drums 93 and 94 and guide sheaves 99 and 100 are arranged at the front end of the frame 1 at opposite sides of the latter to guide the advance: flexible feeding portions during feeding in opposite directions. At the rear end of the machine a plurality of guide sheaves 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 and 107 are provided to guide the receding flexible feeding portion during cutting across a face and during movement of the V252. MlNlNG, QUARRYPNG ICE HARVESTlNG,

machinefboth during sumping, cutting across a face, and movements to and from a truck.

Extended explanation of the mode of operation of this mechanism is unnecessary, but for purposes of illustration the making of a cut from left to right may be described. Since the drums 93 and 94 are rotatable by power only in the same directions except when the motor is reveised, with the particular driving mechanism shown. it will be understood that when the flexible feeding member 98 is wound upon the drum 94 in such manner that it passes first beneath the bottom of that drum from in front, the flexible feeding member 97 will pass rearwardly over the top of the drum 93 down under the guide sheave 103 and about the sheave 101 and thereupon rotation of either drum in a clockwise direction viewed from the right hand side of the machine will lcause drawing in of its associated flexiblefeeding portion. It will thus be apparent that sumping may be accomplished by the tail rope 97 by leading the latter forward to a point adjacent the rib and that feeding may be accomplished by the advance flexible feeding portion 98 by attaching the latter to a jack adjacent the left hand rib. The clutch actuating mechanism including the parts 43, etc. being of such nature that but one drum may have power applied thereto at` any given time, it will be evident that the drums are operable by power only alternatively. It will further be evident that by reason of the interconnection of the members 87 and 88 for actuating the clutches 85 and 86 but one of the drums can be connected at any given moment to the braking mechanism. Accordingly, let it be assumed that the machine lias been sumpe-d under the coal and is about to proceed across the face. The member 57 will then be moved toward the left in F ig. 3 connecting the clutch member with the clutch teeth 56 and effecting rotation by power of the pinion 54 which will therefore drive the drum 92 to effect shortening of the forwardly extending portion of the feed operating member 98. At this time the clutch 86 will be disengaged and accordingly the drum 94 will be free from any braking action. The clutch 85 will, however', be engaged and accordingly, depending upon the adjustment of the hand wheel 7, the drinn 93 will be braked to a greater or less degree, rotation of this drum necessitating rotation of the pinion 91 due to the engagement with the latter of the internal gear 95 upon the drum and rotation of the gear 91 will be possible only when the pinion 81 can drive the gear 8O and this will be controlled by the extent to which the friction clutch elements 67, are loaded. It is believed that no further description of the various operative possibilities of this mechanism are .necessary and that one skilled in the art will aph preciate at once the operations necessary to raftsma this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mining apparatus, feeding means including a feed operating member adapted to cooperate directly with flexible feeding means, driving means for said feed operating member. an exclusively braking means for said feed operating member for holding said member against movement or to permit said memberto rotate under frictional resistance when said member is disconnected from said driving means, and separate transmission connections between said feed operating meinber and said braking and driving means respectively, the transmission connections between said feed operating member and said braking means comprising intermeshing gearing.

2. In a mining apparatus, feeding means including a plurality of relatively rotatable feed operating members each adapted to cooperate directly with flexible feeding means, driving means for said feed operating members, a single braking means for said feed operating members for holding selectively said members against movement or to permit said members to rotate under frictional resistance when disconnected from said driving means, one of said members being driven by said driving means without such frictional resistance while rotation of the other member is frictionally resisted by said braking means, and separat-e connections between said feed operating members and said braking and driving means respectively including separate rotatable transmission members operatively connectible with said feed operating members.

3. In a mining apparatus, feeding means including a feed operating member adapted to cooperate directly with flexible feeding means, driving means for said feed operating member, braking means for said feed operating member for frictionally resisting rotation of said member when disconnected from said driving means, and separate connections between said feed operating member and said braking and driving means respectively including a gear coaxial with said feed operating member, and separate gear members respectively connected to said driving means and to said braking means and each meshing with the first mentioned gear.

4. In a mining apparatus, a machine frame, feeding means thereon including a feed operiso ating member adapted to cooperate directly With flexible feeding means, driving means for said feed operating member, braking means for said feed operating member for frictionally resisting rotation of said member when disconnected from said driving means, and separate connections between said feed operating member and said braking and driving means respectively including a gear coaxial With said feed operating member. and separate gear members rotatable on axes spaced longitudinally of the machine frame respectively connected to said driving means and to said braking means and each meshing with said first mentioned gear.

In a mining apparatus, feeding meansl including a feed operating member adapted to cooperate directly With flexible feeding means, coaxial feed driving and exclusively braking mechanisms, said mechanisms being arranged on axes parallel to the axis of the feed operating member, and means for selectively connecting said mechanisms in operative relation to said feed operating member.

G. In a mining apparatus, feeding means including a plurality of relatively rotatable feed operating members each adapted to cooperate directly with flexible feeding means, a feed driving mechanism and a single coaxial exclusively braking mechanism, said braking mechanism being adapted to hold said feed operating members against Inovement or to permit said members to rotate under frictional resistance when disconnected from said feed driving mechanism, and means for selectively connecting said feed driving and braking mechanisms in operative relation to said feed operating members including separate operative connections between said different mechanisms and said feed operating members.

T. In a mining apparatus, feeding means including a feed operating member adapted to cooperate directly with iiexible feeding means, coaxial feed driving and braking mechanisms` said braking mechanism being operative to frictionally resist rotation of said feed operating member when the latter is disconnected from said feed driving mechanism, and means for selectively connecting said mechanisms in operative relation to said feed operating member including separate rotatable means cooperating With said feed operating member at circumferentially different points in the latter.

S. In a mining apparatus, feed operating and controlling means including a plurality of feed operating members each adapted to cooperate directly with flexible feeding means, driving means for said members, and means for controlling rotation of said members when disconnected from said driving means including a single braking means to which said members are selectively connectible, one of said members when released from said braking means being driven by said driving means While rotation of the other member is frictionally resisted by said braking means.

9. In a mining apparatus, a machine frame, feed operating and controlling mechanism thereon including a plurality of feed operating members each adapted to cooperate directly with flexible. feeding means and disposed respectively at opposite sides of the machine frame, driving means for said members, a single braking mechanism intermediate said members for frictionally resisting rotation of the latter, and means for selectively connecting either of said feed operating members to said braking mechanism, one of said members being driven by said driving means without such frictional resistance While rotation of the other member is frictionally resisted by said braking mechanism.

10. In a mining apparatus, feed operating and controllingmeans including a plurality of feed ope ating and controlling members each adapted to coope ate directly with iiexible feeding means, and means for controlling the rotation of said members including a single braking means, a power transmission device, and separate connections between said members and said braking means and said device respectively, said braking means being operative to selectively frictionally resist rotation of said members, one of said members being driven by said transmission device Without such frictional resistance, while rotation of the other member is frictionally resisted by said braking means.

11. In a mining apparatus, feed operating and controlling means including a plurality of relatively rotatable feed operating and controlling members each adapted to cooperate With flexible feeding means, and means for controlling the rotation thereof including a single braking means, a power transmission device, said braking means and transmission device being coaxially arranged, and separate connections between said members and said braking means and said device resnectively.

12. In a mining apparatus, feed operating and controlling means including a plurality of feed operating and controlling members each adapted to cooperate directly with fiexible feeding means, a plural speed. transmission device througli which said members are driven, and means for controlling rotation of said members including a single braking means for frictionally resisting rotation of either of said members while the other member is driven through said transmission device without such frictional resistance, and separate connections between said members and said braking means and said device respectively.

13. In a mining apparatus, feeding means including a plurality of relatively rotatable lill) feed operating members cach adapted to cooperate directly With flexible feeding means, driving means for said feed operating members, a single braking means for said feed onerating members including a friction brake for holding said members against movement when disconnected from said drivingl means or to permit said members to rotate under frictional resistance, rotation of one of said members being frictionally resisted by said brake While said other member is driven by said driving means Without such frictional resistance, and separate transmission connections between said feed operating members and said braking and driving means.

14. In a mining apparatus, feeding means including a plurality of relatively rotatable feed operating members eachadapted to cooperate directly With flexible feeding means, driving means for said feed operating members, braking means for said feed operating members includinga single friction brake for holding both of said members against movement when said members are disconnected from said driving` means or to permit said members to rotate under frictional resistance, rotation of one of said members being frictionally resisted by said brake While said other member is driven by said driving means Without such frictional resistance, and separate transmission connections between said feed operating members and said braking and driving means.

- l5. In a mining apparatus, feeding means including a plurality of relatively rotatable feed operating members each adapted to cooperate directly with flexible feeding means,

driving` means for said feed operating members a single braking means for said feed operating members for frictionally resisting rotation of said members, and mechanism for alternatively connecting said feed operating members to said braking means for holding the same aga-inst v movement when disconnected from said driving means, one of said members being driven by said driving means While rotation of the other member is frictionally resisted by said braking means.

16. In a mining apparatus, feeding means including a plurality of relatively rotatable feed operating members each adapted to cooperate directly With flexible :feeding means, driving means for said feed operating members, a single braking means for holding both of said feed operating members against movement when disconnected from said driving mea-ns, one of said members being driven by said driving means While rotation of the i other is frictionally resisted by said braking means, and separate transmission connections bet-Ween said feed operating members and said braking means and between said feed operating members and said driving means.

17. In a mining apparatus, feeding means including a feed operating member adapted LOUISl A. MAXSON.

CERTIFICATE 0E CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,781,906. Granted November 18, 1930, to

LOUIS A. MAXSON.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification, of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 55. after the word "well" insert a Comma; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this Correction that the same may conform to the record of thecase in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of January, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

(Seal) 

